W I T H T H E S H A Y K H

Commencing Meetings with the Fåti˙ah

Shaykh ‘Abd Allah Bin Bayyah 1

It is recommended to recite al-Fåti˙ah unrestrictedly; meaning, without confining it to a specific place

or occasion. Allah, Transcendent and Exalted is He, says: Recite from the Qur’an as much as is easy
for you.2 And in the very same verse: So recite from it as much as is easy. Hence reciting the Qur’an
entails a tremendous reward. Allah, Transcendent is He, will grant to you in return ten good deeds for
each letter [of the Qur’an] you recite. I do not say that Alif. Låm. M•m. is a letter. Rather, Alif is a letter;
Låm is a letter; and M•m is a letter. Its like was said by the Prophet, peace be upon him, as reported
by al-Tirmidh•, no.2910; by way of Ibn Mas‘¥d, may Allah be pleased with him.

Al-Tirmidh• also records, no.2926; by way of Abu Sa‘•d al-Khudr•, may Allah be pleased with him; the
hadith: “Whoever, because of being preoccupied with the Qur’an or with remembrance of Me, asks
not of Me, I shall grant him the best of what I give to those who ask [of Me].” This is because [reciting]
the Qur’an is one of the most meritorious and highly recommended of deeds.

As for doing so at the start of any gathering, or at its conclusion, then there is no explicit text related
about this. If someone does so believing that it is a Sunnah, or an obligation, then this contravenes the
Sacred Law. But if he recites it in order to seek blessings (tabarruk) with the Noble Qur’an, then, Allah
willing, there is nothing wrong with this according to the view we hold to be the soundest. The issue
entails a dispute related to what is called bid‘ah i∂åfiyyah - “innovation by way of extension”.3 Many
Målik• scholars detest this type of bid‘ah, whereas in the opinion of other scholars the issue goes back
to the nature of al-dal•l al-‘åmm - general proofs, and what their scope encompasses of [unrestricted]
allowance or recommendation. This latter rule is the view of the Shafi‘•s and al-‘Izz b. ‘Abd al-Salåm,
as well as of al-Qaråf• who was a Målik•.

Therefore the issue, Allah willing, is one in which there is no problem, in the sense that it should not
be a cause for schisms to arise between Muslims: “Do not hate one another, do not envy one another,
do not turn your backs on one another,” says one hadith recorded by al-Bukhår•, no.6065 and Muslim,
no.2599; by way of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him.

Thus, whoever wishes to recite [al-Fåti˙ah at the start or end of a meeting], we should not prevent them
from doing so. However, one should not think that this is a Sunnah, or that the Prophet, upon whom
be peace, began in such a manner. This would not be correct. Nevertheless, if someone were to recite
it for its blessings, or out of seeking the reward it has with Allah, then there is nothing wrong in doing
so; Allah willing.

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ENDNOTES
1. From www.binbayyah.net (trans. Surkheel Abu Aaliyah).
2. Qur’an 73:20.
3. Bid‘ah I∂åfiyyah: an innovation which has a basis in the Sacred Law, in general, but it has no explicit proof
with regards its specific form. This is why it is called i∂åfiyyah - “extension; something added on”. Thus, from one
angle the act is connected back to a shar•‘ah proof, and is not a bid‘ah or innovation; while from another angle it
is a bid‘ah because of the form of the act not having any specific proof in the shar•‘ah. This is in contrast to what
is referred to by some as bid‘ah haq•qiyyah: an innovation which does not have even a general basis to legitimize
it; neither in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, scholarly consensus (i j m å ‘), or analogical inference (q i y å ß). Cf. al-Shå†ib•, al-
I‘tißåm (Saudi Arabia: Dår Ibn ‘Affån, 1995), 1:367.

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